Automatic shuttle for looms



n oci., 11, 1938. H. A. DAWS IZA AUTOMATIC SHUTTLE FOR LOOMS Filed May 5, 1937 ggfs/67 gg., 00 wv Patented ocr. 11, 193s vUNITED STATES l PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to loom shuttles and is more particularly directed to an automatically threading loom shuttle wherein the shuttle is preliminarily threaded on the iirst pick following replenishment and is completely threaded on the following pick.

In order that the lling thread may be properly laid in the shed it is necessary that the lling be tensioned, and it has been common heretofore to provide a tensioning means in the thread passage which exerts the full weaving tension on the filling as the shuttle is picked. There are objections to thus controlling the tension among which may be mentioned that should the lling thread have a projecting bre the energy of the tensioning'means upon the thread has been such that the fibre will accumulate back of the tensioning device and finally the thread will be broken. l

The object of the present invention is to provide a tensioning means for the lling wherein a plurality of tensioning means are employed in the thread passage, each of which exerts upon the thread a tension less than the weaving ten- 2'5 sion required, but the aggregate 0f the tensions equals the weaving tension.

` In the present embodiment of the invention a fixed tensioning member is located at one side of the thread passage and preferably it is common to all of the plurality of tensioning means which are mounted on the opposite side of the thread passage.

When the shuttle is picked following replenishment the iilling thread is laid in the longitudinal passage whether it be formed by the wood of the shuttle or, as is more customary, by a longitudinally extending passage in a threading block, and on the following pick of the shuttle the thread passes to the side delivery eye and the shuttle becomes fully threaded.

Fig. 14 is a. plan view of the threading end of the shuttle provided with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the threading block carrying the tensioning means;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the threadingblock and tensioning means shown in Fig. 2; l

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of `a preferred form of one of the movable tensioning members;

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1 taken through the shuttle across the tensioning means; I f Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a side elevation of a modification; and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

The shuttle I, usually formed of wood, may be of ordinary construction and at the delivery end of the shuttle the longitudinally extending thread passage is formed either in the wood of the shuttle itself or in a threading block. In the present instance of the invention the longitudinally extending passage 2 is formed in the threading block 3 which is secured to the shuttle body by the usual transverse bolt 4.

Mounted at one side of thelongitudinally extending passage 2 the threading block in the present instance is shown as provided with a straight preferably flat back wall forming a fixed tensioning member 5 and on the opposite side of the longitudinally extending thread passage are a plurality of movable tensioning members 6, each 4of which is under the impulse of spring means urging them towards the fixed tensioning member 5 with a pressure less than the weaving pressure or tension and the aggregate of the tensioning members upon the thread equals the weaving tension.

The plurality of movable tensioning 'members 6 which, as hereinbefore noted, are carried by the threading block, in the present instance are under the urge of spring or elastic means causing them to move towards the opposite' straight or flatbacl; wall whichforms the iixed tensioning member 5, with the result that each of the movable tensioning members 6 will impart to the thread a tension less than the Weaving tension desired but the aggregate of which tensions equals the weaving tension. 35

The number of movable tensioning members 6 may, of course, be varied, but as shown in the vpresent instance of the invention, fourv are indicated and these may preferably be separated intlo two groups by a transversely extending bridge 1 which may be rigid with the threading block, though such bridge is not always essential.

From what has been said it will be apparent that the movable tensioning members 6, are held in the threading block for sliding movement to- Wards or from the opposite back wall which forms the fixed tensioning member 5 and in order that the movable tensioning members 6 may be held in their properr positions the threading block is provided with a holding plate 8 which maintains the movable tensioning members 6 in their proper positions without capacity for vertical movement.

vThe holding plate `8 may be secured to the `threading block in any desired manner but, as 55 shown in the present instance of the invention, screws 9 and Ill serve this purpose, as more clearly indicated in Fig, 3.

As one convenient means for exerting yielding pressure against the movable tensioning members a strip of rubber Il may be employed which contacts with the outer edge portion of all of the movable tensioning members 6 and exerts an urge for the tensioning members to be moved towards the opposite fixed tensioning member and, obviously, the rubber strip II may be secured to perform its function in various ways but, as illustrated in the present instance of the Vinvention, one end of the rubber strip as at I2 'is provided with a knot which is larger than lthe hole in the portion I3 of the threading block and the other end of the rubber strip may be conveniently secured to one of the screws '9 or I0, so that the tension of the rubber strip may be varied. In the present instance, as more clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6, the rubber strip is secured to the adjusting screw Il), as at I4, so that by a slight turning of the screw .the tension of the rubber strip may be adjusted.

The preferred form of the movable tensioning member .5 is so contrived that -one edge thereof, as at I5, is straight while the other edge has Aa recess portion i6, the construction being such that a filling thread of small diametrical dimen- `sion may be acted on by the straight Iedge I5 of the tensioning members, but Vwhere the thread in the shuttle is of larger diameter the recessed portion I6 of the movable tensioning members may be presented. This isreadily effected by chang- Ving the position of the movable tensioning'members I5 lby removing the cap or plate 8 and reversing their positions.

In the construction hereinbefore described, the resilient rubber band acts upon each of the mov- :able tensioni-ng members 6 whether one edge or the other is presented to the filling thread passing through `the longitudinally extending thread passage, but in the construction shown by Figs. 7 and 8, which is a modification, the tensioning rnembers I8 may be mounted in a block I'I ywhich itself 4:may be Vunder the influence fof the rubber strip H, so that the movable tensioning members will -all be moved towards the opposite tensioning member Y5 by movement of the block I'I itself.

Figs. vand 8 further indicate a slightly dif- -ferent forin of tensioning member, such -as I8 backed by suitable springs I9 interposed between -it rand the wall of the block Il. It will be observed in `accordance with the present invention that the movable tensioning members Whether they zbeof the preferred form, as indicated in Figs. '4 and '5, or as modified, as at I8, will all be urged towards the fixed tensioning member 5 with a pressure less `than `that required for weaving, butl the aggregate or total of such pressures from the .plurality of vtensioning `members will equal the Weaving `tensionin order to lay the lling properly in Athe shed.

As shown and described with respect to the ypresent vexploitation rof the invention, the threading Iblock 3 provides the longitudinally extending thread passage .2, but it is 'obvious that this may be provided in the wood of the shuttle itself .and the fixed as well as the movable tensioning members will act upon the thread, `as hereinbefore in- Adicated.

In order that the filling 'thread may inot .drop below the lower edges of the tensioning members transverse pins 20 extend across the thread passage and are secured 4to the threading block.

From the construction described it will be apparent that since the tension exerted upon the lling thread by each of the plurality of tensioning devices is less than the weaving tension required, any projecting fibre on the thread will pass between the first movable tensioning member and the opposite xed tensioning member and obviate the objection of thread breakage, which is liable to occur when the tensioning member is urged with the full weaving tension against the thread.

What is claimed isz- 1. In an automatically threading loom shuttle for looms, the combination of the shuttle body having a threading block provided with a longitudinally extending thread passage having a straight back wall, a side delivery eye communicating with the vthread passage, a plurality of floating thread tensioning members independently mounted in and at the opposite side of the llongitudinal thread passage, resilient means acting Von said independently movable Vtension members urging them transversely of the thread passage to clamp the thread against the straight back wall thereof and to cause each to exert less tension on the thread thanis required for Weaving vbut the aggregate -of whose tension equals the total amount of tension necessary for weaving purposes.

V2. In an automatically threading loom shuttle, .the combination of the shuttle body ,having `a threading block provided with `a longitudinally extending thread passage having a flat back wall, a side delivery eye communicating with. the thread passage, and a plurality of loosely mounted thread tensioning members in and at the opposite `side o'f the longitudinal thread passage, ya spring acting on the loosely mounted tension members to cause each of them to independently exert substantially alike tension on the thread less than required for weaving but the aggregate of whose `tension equals the amount of tension necessary for Weaving purposes.

V3. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a threading block provided with a. longitudinal thread Ypassage having a straight back wall forminga fixed tensioning member, a plurality of independently movable tensioning members at the opposite side of the thread passage, and means for causing each of the movable tensioning members to be urged transversely of the thread passage .towards the fixed tensioning memberto clamp v.and exert tension -on the thread less than they weaving tension .but the aggregate of whose tensions equal the weaving tension.

4. yAn automatically threading loom shuttle having Aa threading block provided With'a longitudinal thread passage having a flat back -wall forming a fixed tensioning member at one side .of the thread passage, a plurality of floating ,movable 'tensioning members independently mounted at the opposite side of the thread passage, and uni-- tary resilient `means forl `causing all the movable tensioning membersto press the `thread .against the fixed tensioned member to exert alike .tension on the thread passing between the fixed and movable members each less than Ythat required -for weaving but the vtotal of which tensions shall be equal to that necessary for weaving purposes.

5. An' automatically threading loom shuttle having `a longitudinally extending thread passage having a flat back Wall forming a fixed thread tension-ing member at 'one side of the thread passage, a -plurality of floating tensioning members independently mounted at the opposite side of the thread passage, and a single spring acting on the plurality of tensioning members to urge all of them independently towards the opposite tensioning member with equal tensioning effect of each less than necessary for weaving.

6. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a longitudinally extending thread passage, having a flat back Wall forming a fixed thread tensioning member at one side of the thread passage, a plurality of floating tensioning members independently mounted at the opposite side of the thread passage, and a single spring means acting on each of the plurality of tensioning members to urge all of them towards and against the opposite tensioning member with equal tensioning eiect of each less than necessary for weaving and means for adjusting the effective force of said spring.

'7. An automatically threading loom shuttle having a longitudinally extending thread passage having a straight back Wall forming a xed tensioning member at one side of the thread passage, a block at the opposite side of the thread passage having a plurality of loose tensioning members, and spring means acting on all the movable tensioning members to urge each of them transversely of the thread passage towards and against the iixed tensioning member with equal tension eiect of each less than that necessary for Weaving but with an aggregate tension eiect required for weaving to properly lay the filling in the shed.

8. In an automatically threading loom shuttle having a longitudinal thread passage, a fixed thread tensioning member at one side onf the thread passage, a plurality of movable tensioning members at the opposite side of the thread passage each of which has a straight thread tensioning edge and an opposite recessed tensioning edge to accommodate threads of different diameters by reversal of the tensioning members, and a spring for urging the movable tensioning members transversely of the thread passage to clamp the thread between the xed and movable tensioning members.

HARRY A. DAVIS. 

